Coming Home
by Diotima Mantinea
Summary: Usagi disappeared years ago, and the Senshi were never able to find her. What happens when she comes home, married and completely different...and why did she leave in the first place?
1. Prologue

Title: Coming Home~Prologue  
  
Author: SailorSpectra@msn.com  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Summary: Usagi disappeared years ago, and the Senshi were never able  
to find her. What happens when she comes home, married and completely   
different?  
  
Author's Notes: Well, it has been a few years since this fan-fiction   
was started, and back then, it was called "Saying Goodbye." If you   
have been around the fanfic world for over 5 years, you may remember   
it. I was really young when I first wrote it, so I decided to revamp   
it and pretty much change the whole thing. It still has the same   
storyline, but I redid it from a different perspective and started   
it at a different time. And this one is going to have some more to   
it as well. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy, and don't feel shy to e-mail me ^.^  
  
Disclaimer: If I really owned Sailormoon, do you really think I resign   
myself to writing the stories for free online?  
***********************************************************************  
  
At first glance, Michiko could tell that they were a formidable   
couple. As the beautiful blonde stepped out of the airplane terminal   
followed by the sleek, ebony haired man, Kamiki knew that the pair   
captured eyes, no matter where they went. She shook her head in an   
attempt to dispel the visions they brought to her head. She did not   
need them to come back to mess up her life again.  
*******************************************************************  
  
The woman stopped, tensely glancing around, nearly oblivious to   
her companion's arm gently encircling her waist. She relaxed and sighed.  
  
"They're not here."  
  
"I highly doubt that they would know we came back. You didn't call   
them," he whispered in her ear. When she did not respond he continued,   
"Usako, it's been five years."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
She did not respond, just walked away, untangling his arm from   
around her waist. It was her own way of closing the subject.  
********************************************************************  
  
Mamoru gazed down at the cascade of golden hair resting on his   
shoulder. He gently ran his fingers through it and remembered how   
the entire situation started.  
***  
He was jogging through the park, finally able to get some   
much-wanted exercise into his hectic schedule. Not that he needed it,   
mind you, his weekly bouts fighting Youma at the side of Sailor Moon   
and the rest of the scouts kept him in shape enough as it was. He   
just liked to jog at night. It was his way of relaxing between the   
times that he was teasing Odango, going to classes, teasing Odango,   
going to work, teasing Odango and going to the arcade. The question   
was, had he teased the poor girl today? He wasn't quite sure... Oh   
well, he could just double it tomorrow.  
  
He did not know what it was, but something about her got under   
his skin. It wasn't the flying tests or shoes. He FELT like he knew   
her from some other time, but he KNEW that he did not, and that was   
what bothered him.  
  
Anyhow, he shook her from his mind, reminding himself that this   
was his time to meditate. The time when he could allow his mind to   
seep into his surroundings. Another good thing about jogging at night.   
Whenever he meditated around other people their emotions would affect   
him. He could 'feel' their emotions...how? He had no clue, but he   
surmised that it had something to do with his powers as Tuxedo Kamen.   
At night however, with no one around, his mind could wander free.  
  
His feet pounding the cold sidewalk were the only sound. He could   
smell the dirt and grass because of the recent downpour and relished it.   
He could see the pavement, and on that pavement was a bruised and battered   
Usagi laying across his path. He stumbled to a stop, nearly falling over   
the prone girl in front of him.  
*********************************************************************  
  
Mamoru shivered as he always did in memory of that night. Usagi   
snuggled closer into his embrace in an unconscious attempt to soothe   
him.  
  
"We're here," the cab driver said. Mamoru nodded, turning to   
Usagi.  
  
"Wake up honey, we're home," he said, gently nudging the sleeping   
nymph from her slumber.  
  
"Huh? Oh,"  
  
"Jet lag is getting to you isn't it?" Mamoru said with amusement   
as he paid the fair. She smiled.  
  
"Yeah, I forgot how much the time difference is."  
  
The doorman came up to the cab to help with the luggage, his   
generally stoic face twisting with surprise and enthusiasm as he noticed   
whom the male passenger was.  
  
"Chiba-san! Welcome back. It's been a long five years," the doorman   
said, accepting the luggage from the cab driver.  
  
"Thank you. We are glad to be back. I didn't expect that you would   
still be here after this long, Jiango-san."   
  
The doorman simply smiled and inquired politely, "And who is this   
young lady if I may ask?"  
  
"I'm Chiba Usagi. You may call me Usagi though if you would like,"   
she answered with a brilliant smile.  
  
"Are you relatives?" he asked, pulling his trolley to the elevator.  
  
"You could say that." At the man's puzzled look, Mamoru added, "Usako   
is my wife."  
  
For the second time, the doorman's face contorted, with his jaw nearly  
imperceptibly dropping. He never took Chiba to be the kind of man who would   
settle down, much less to such an innocent looking young lady. Jiango guessed   
that every bachelor had some woman out there that could catch him.  
  
Shaking himself out of his stupor, Jiango congratulated the pair   
as they entered the elevator.  
  
The three made small talk in the elevator, going up to the penthouse   
that Mamoru, and now Usagi, owned.   
  
Upon giving Jiango a generous tip that he graciously accepted, the   
couple retreated into their home, collapsing to the plush leather sofa   
in the living room.  
  
"We're back."  
  
"Yeah," he replied. She twisted the ring on her finger and looked   
at the dark ceiling trying to blink back the tears.  
  
They sat in silence, allowing the plushness of the couch soothe   
away the muscle cramps they collected on their flight over. Usagi   
chewed her lip before breaking the peaceful atmosphere.  
  
"I know I have to talk to them. But knowing it doesn't make me   
any less scared."  
  
"Don't worry Usako, I'll be right by your side when you go," he   
kissed her and gathered her slim form into his arms. "Let's go to bed."  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Come on Usako, wake up," Mamoru said gently nudging her. She   
did not stir, so he took his second plan of action, pulling the curtains   
open to let the sun fall on her face. He mused that his wife looked like   
an angel, until she frowned and covered her face.  
  
"Lea-me alone..." She grumbled.  
  
"Odango, I need your help..." He pouted, pulling the sheets off the   
bed and the blonde that they covered.  
  
"Fine," she growled sitting up. "But you'll have to fix the bed."   
she said looking disdainfully at the sheets that now adorned the floor.  
  
"Not a problem," he said winking. Even after being together for   
the length of time they had, Mamoru was still entranced by her form,   
gazing over her silk clad body in appreciation. He started moving   
towards the bed but was stopped when Usagi jumped out of it.  
  
"I don't think so. You know that if you get in here now, neither   
of us will make it to work today."  
  
"But Usako...."  
  
"Stop acting like a horny teenager Mamo-chan," she said chastising   
him.  
  
"Ha ha, you forget which one of us is still a teenager huh? And   
you know how rabbits are," he said swaddling up to her. Usagi gave him   
a look.  
  
"Now do you want help getting dressed or not?"  
  
"I'll help YOU," he replied with a grin. Realizing he was bringing   
her closer to her, "shoe hitting his head," mode, he quickly shut up. He   
meekly replied an apology to her back. She grinned. I've still got him   
wrapped around my pinkie.  
  
She shook her head, helping her hubby tie his tie, still confused as   
to how he formerly wore a tuxedo to help her fight all those years ago,   
and still couldn't tie a simple neck tie.  
  
"What time do you have to be at work Mamo-chan?" He quickly glanced   
at the clock. "DAMN!!! I'm late! Love you Usako, gotta run, see you later,   
bye bye!!!"  
  
She giggled as he rushed around grabbing his keys, suitcase and shoes   
to leave the house. "It looks as if I'm rubbing off on you," she said with   
a grin. He gave her an evil look, but softened it with a smile, pecked her   
on the lips and ran out the door.  
  
Noticing the time herself, she realized that she had 25 minutes to get   
dressed, eat breakfast, and get to work. Luckily, their apartment was   
right down the street from Tokyo University, her new employer.  
*************************************************************************  
  
Haruna read the files on the new professor of Humanities. Hmm, Chiba   
Usagi. That's interesting, she went to Juuban Junior High...That must have   
been before I taught there. Glancing at her maiden name, Haruna blinked.   
No, that can't be her, probably just related to her. She's been missing   
for much too long. Haruna did not even think to look at the person's   
birthdate, or she would have realized that Chiba Usagi was only 19 years   
old, the same age of most her students.  
**************************************************************************  
  
Usagi walked up to the Employee Resources door and read the name plate.   
Huh, I wonder if she'll recognize me. She entered the room and shut the   
door behind herself while familiarizing herself with her surroundings.   
Bittersweet memories returned to her when she saw that Haruna-Sama had a   
picture of her class on her new desk. She did not let it stop her though.   
It would be ten times worse when she ran into the girls.  
  
Haruna looked up and a feeling of deja bu washed over her. Blinking   
in surprise she asked, "Tsukino-san?" but at the young blonde's blank   
stare, she shook her head.   
  
"I'm sorry, but you must be Chiba-san."  
  
Usagi smiled and bowed to the older lady. Who knew that the dragon   
would follow her wherever she went? "It's a pleasure to meet you   
Haruna-sama."  
  
"It is very nice to meet you too. I'm glad that you will be joining   
our staff here. It has been a long time since we have had a Western   
Humanities professor with your credentials."   
  
"Thank you very much. I have worked hard for my status."   
  
Haruna noticed that she was staring when the blonde's eyebrows furrowed   
in questioning.  
  
"Is something wrong Haruna-sama?"  
  
She had the decency to blush. "Excuse me for staring Chiba-san, but   
you look incredibly like a student of mine who went missing 5 years ago."  
  
"I am sorry for your loss, Haruna-sama." After a short pause, Usagi   
asked for the paper work and room number where her lecture was held in to   
avoid any further questioning that her inquisitive superior may have for   
her.  
***********************************************************************  
  
Minako smiled to one of her friends as they parted towards their   
respective classes. Plopping down in one of the seats, she leaned her head   
back and stared at the ceiling, once again reflecting on how her life   
changed after her friend had left. Sighing and shaking her head, she   
looked down at her schedule. "When the hell is this Chiba-sensei going   
to show up?" She muttered to herself.  
***********************************************************************  
  
Usagi's slightly nervous feeling was understandable as she walked   
passed the 200+ students in her Intro to Western Humanities class. She   
noticed that a few of the boys' heads turned as she walked down the   
aisle to the front of the class, but paid them no mind. She was used   
to the attention, but no one other than Mamoru could ever get her   
to look back.   
  
Setting her briefcase down and turning on her microphone, she   
did not waste a second in getting the class's attention.  
  
"Good morning. I'm am Chiba Usagi, your professor for this   
course."  
  
There was a slight mumbling that arose, not surprising to   
Usagi. She knew it would occur. Really, how many professors could   
these students have had that looked to be 16?  
  
One of the more verbal male students called out, "Aren't you a   
little young to be a professor?"  
  
She smiled, "Yes, I know I appear young to be a professor, and   
that is because I am younger than most of your professors. But that   
is beside the point. Let's begin class now, shall we," she stated,   
closing the subject. She did not want to spend the entire time   
justifying her credentials.  
  
*******  
  
Usagi was packing up after dismissing her class, glad that she   
had the first lecture under her belt. Smiling, she zipped up her   
suitcase and began to pick it up to walk out of the room.  
  
"Usagi-chan?"  
  
Usagi was surprised to hear her name said in that way again.   
No one had added the intimate suffix to it in quite some   
time, Mamoru only referring to her as his Usako (and of course   
Odango whenever he was in a teasing mood) and the Americans   
never added any kind of title when calling someone by their   
first name. She recognized the voice however and schooled her   
face into a blank look, one that she had perfected for just a   
time like this. She looked up and was not disappointed in the   
least to see one of her former teammates.  
***********  
  
After sitting in her seat and staring at the woman in the  
front of the room as if she was a body back from the dead,   
Minako was sure that the woman who called herself Chiba Usagi,   
was definitely Tsukino Usagi, or as to those who had depended   
on her, Sailormoon.  
  
How she was back and why she was back Minako did not know,   
but she was prepared to find out. Not to mention discovering the   
mystery behind her friends disappearance. And another thing...   
How the hell did Usagi, terrible student extraordinaire, end up   
being one of her professors?  
***********  
  
Usagi looked at Minako, who could have sworn she saw a look   
of regret pass over Usagi's eyes.  
  
"Minako-chan," Usagi started, "It's so nice to see you again."  
  
Minako blinked. Wondering as to why Usagi was acting so   
abnormal in comparison to her former self (who would be jumping up   
and squeezing the air from Minako's lungs) she asked somewhat upset,   
"Is that all you can say? You left us without a word on where you   
were going and why you were leaving. And how the hell did you block   
us from finding you?"  
  
Usagi's lips tightened while she looked sorrowfully into the   
other blonde's eyes. "Minako-chan, this is not the place nor the   
time to discuss this. Soon enough, I will tell you and the others   
what happened five years ago, and why I am how I now am. But until   
then, I'm sorry but you will have to wait." Ignoring Minako's   
crestfallen face, she continued out of her lecture room and swiftly   
walked towards her next awaiting class.  
*********************************************************************  
  
Usagi's final class for the day ended at noon, so she headed   
home to have lunch with Mamoru during his lunch break. She did not   
necessarily need to teach, what with Mamoru finally having had   
taken his place on the board of Chiba Enterprises, a medical   
supplier, after completing his doctorate in medicine in America   
while he was helping her get her GED, then Bachelors degree,   
and then her Masters in a special program at the same university.   
She just wanted to. There was just no way that she could sit at   
home all day and wait for her husband to return, so she just had to   
find something to do.  
  
Her husband. She just loved saying that. The two had just   
gotten married that passed year after Usagi had turned 18. They   
had been a couple for a much longer time, although they had to   
hide it from the Americans, not wanting to have Mamoru turned   
into the authorities for statutory rape or some other crime   
involving her age and their relationship.   
  
Speaking of her husband, he should be home at anytime. She   
needed to discuss a few things with him, such as how they were   
going to go to the temple that evening for Usagi's first meeting   
in a long time...  
  
She may as well inform the girls of this unforeseen meeting.   
Picking up the phone and dialing the number for the Cherry Hill   
Shinto temple, she took a deep breath before asking for Rei.  
  
"Rei-chan?"  
  
"Yes?" Who is this?"  
  
"Call a Senshi Meeting for 8 p.m." and with that, Usagi hung   
up the phone.  
****************************************************************  
  
Rei stared at the phone in her hands in wonderment. That   
sounded incredibly like Usagi, but there was no way she would   
have spoken like that if it truly was her. The Usagi Rei knew   
would have been gushing about how much she missed her and would   
not have let her had a word edgewise. Well, she did not get a   
chance to have a word edgewise, but not because the speaker had   
kept talking. Worrying if it truly was Usagi, or some negaverse   
creep come back to haunt them, she resigned to do what they had   
all sworn they would never do again.  
  
The fact that she could still reach into her interspace   
pocket surprised her. She guessed that lack of practice did   
not hinder Senshi powers in any way. Finding what she was   
searching for, she pulled it out, surprised to see that the   
communicator was covered in a thick dust. "Hmm, I guess that   
even those pockets need cleaning once in a while..."  
  
Pressing the all-call button, she waited until she got   
responses from the rest of the girls.  
*******************************************************************  
  
Makoto mixed the chocolate souffle creme for the pie she   
was making for her very important guests seated at table 57.   
The only thing she ever put her mind on anymore was work. After   
having finished high school, she forwent college, directly   
starting her own business with the money her parents' estate   
gave her. They had been wealthy but she was only able to   
access the money after her 18th birthday, so after having had   
scrimped and saved for the previous 6 years, she knew the   
value of the yen. So even though only a year had passed since   
she had begun her restaurant, she already had high profile   
guests dining there daily, and a very long guest list that   
most other gourmet restaurants would kill for. Her surprise   
was immeasurable when she heard the distinctive beeping that   
had been absent from her life for the past 3 years.  
********************************************************************  
  
"Ok, so then we add the potassium permanganate to the   
solution and then..." Ami's muttering stopped suddenly when   
she heard the beeping that she had wished to and feared to hear   
for the past 3 years. Looking around to make sure no one else   
had noticed in her Advanced Organic Chemistry for the Study of   
Carbon Based Creatures lab, she turned to her lab partner to excuse   
herself to the bathroom.  
*********************************************************************  
  
Minako was looking at the small round device in her hand,   
trying to decide whether or not to break that promise that the   
four of them had made in anger, when it started beeping in her   
hand. Glad that she was not the one who had gone back on her   
word, she flicked it open.  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Uh, hi everyone...long time no see huh?" Rei asked. "Ah,   
I'm sorry to be interrupting your busy lives, but I just got an   
extremely strange phone call." Pausing for a second to wet her   
lips, she continued. "It told me to call a meeting for tonight   
at 8 o'clock..."  
  
Before she could continue, Ami cut her off, "Look Rei, I   
can't come. I have a class tonight."  
  
"And I have to finish off the last meal before I go home   
to feed Shingo." Makoto added.  
  
"Look you guys, it sounded like Usagi-chan...I know, I   
know, she went missing and we thought she was dead, but I'm   
not too sure about that anymore."  
  
Minako who had been silent for a while, spoke up. "It is   
Usagi. Or Chiba-sensei, as she goes by now."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I walked into my Humanities class today, and she was my   
professor. How she became my professor I have no clue, but when   
I confronted her, she said I would find out in due time before   
she walked out. She was so different I was wondering if it was   
really her, but I read her aura. She has changed, but it is her."  
  
The girls were silent for a few moments before Ami decided   
to speak.  
  
"I guess then, if it is her, I can cut the end of class,   
it ends at 8:10 anyways, and I am 8 chapters ahead." She   
worried if it was the right thing to do or not.  
  
"I'll get one of my others to cook the meals and pick up   
Shingo on my way over. It's about time he's seen his sister,   
and it's not like he doesn't know that we are Senshi as it is."   
At the others' sharp looks she added, "He walked in on me   
transforming that night of our...ah...fallout. He knows how   
to keep his mouth shut, don't worry." Whether or not she wanted   
to see the other three was not really her choice. She had been   
the one most hurt by the groups splitting up, but she did want   
to see her best friend again, if it was her.  
********************************************************************  
  
"I called her." Usagi said as Mamoru walked into their   
bedroom. She was laying in their bed staring at her reflection   
in the mirror that was along the top.  
  
"I thought you were going to wait for me."  
  
"I didn't really talk to her, I just told her to call a   
Senshi meeting for 8 tonight." Looking at her husband she asked,   
"Is that ok for you?"  
  
"Of course Usako, I told you I would be at your side when   
we spoke to them." Stretching out on the bed beside her and   
pulling her into his arms, he added, "I'll stay home for the rest   
of today so we can prepare what to say to them. All my meetings   
were this morning and I'm ahead of my paperwork, so it won't   
matter if I go in or not." He kissed her forehead, and the two   
stayed in the position they were in for a while before Usagi   
broke the silence.  
  
"Did you let Motoki-onii-kun know that we came in alright?   
He told us to call as soon as we got in, but I forgot last night."  
  
Mamoru nodded. "He was at this morning's meeting. He said   
that he would go too if you wanted him around when you told the   
girls."  
  
"Yeah, I would like that."  
  
"Come on then, let's go call him." With that, the two arose   
from their bed.   
*****************************************************************  
  
End Notes: Wow, this thing came out to be a pretty good length   
prologue. What did you think? I know it is a little out there,   
but the next chapter should be about twice as long as this one   
was, because the group will finally find out what happened.   
E-mail me or review please! I would really appreciate it.   
Until next time, Ja'ne! 


	2. Chapter 1

Title: Coming Home~Chapter 1  
  
Author: SailorSpectra@msn.com  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and disturbing violence.  
  
Summary: Usagi disappeared years ago, and the Senshi were never   
able to find her. What happens when she comes home, married and   
completely different?  
  
Author's Notes: Sorry this took a week to come out! I had finals   
start as soon as I released the prologue, so I had to do those   
before I wrote anymore. Anyhow, as a quick warning, nothing in   
this chapter is as it seems, even to the characters, so please   
stick with it. Everything will be revealed in time.  
Thank you to all of you who reviewed! It kept me wanting   
to write more :) I'm sorry if I did not respond personally to   
your review, but it was because there was no e-mail addy included.   
Well, here you go, and enjoy.  
  
Usagi allowed her husband's hand to help her out of their   
Corvette. Stepping towards the mountain of steps that lead to   
Cherry Hill Temple, she sighed when she sensed Mamoru was once   
again standing next to her.  
  
"What time did Motoki-onii-kun say he would get here again?"  
  
"He should be here any sec...Speak of the devil." The couple   
turned towards the bright red Miata just pulling up behind their   
own black car. Usagi's face cracked up into a smile, the first   
time since her meeting with Minako earlier that day. As soon as   
the tall blond stepped around his car, Usagi bounced into his   
arms burrowing into his neck. After a quick hug, Usagi stepped   
back.  
  
"You look exactly the same," she said grinning.   
  
"I could say the same for you." It was true. Despite the   
depression that the young woman had endured, she only looked   
slightly older than she had 5 years prior. She had not grown   
any taller, and her pigtail hairstyle was probably what added   
to her youthful look.  
  
"How is Reiko-chan?"  
  
"Glowing. The baby is due in 4 months. She can't wait to   
see you."  
  
"I'm glad." Dragging her friend over to her husband, the   
two grinned at each other. The happy mood surrounding the three   
quickly dissipated when Usagi turned back to the steps.  
  
"Are you sure that you are ready to do this Usako?"  
  
A chagrined look crossed her face. "And this coming from the   
man who kept pressing me to contact them for so long?" at his   
concerned look she tightened her lips and added, "Yes Mamo-chan.   
It's been too long, and they are already waiting for me." And with   
that the blonde began the upward journey to her destiny.  
*******************************************************************  
  
Rei looked around the silent room at the 2 cats, the 3   
other women she had known for so long, and at the 17-year-old   
brother of her best friend who sat beside the tall brunette.   
The room had been silent since the first person had entered.   
The wounds were still too fresh, despite the years that separated   
them from each other.  
  
She tried to be the best hostess that she could before they   
appeared, having set up some platters with food, only to find that   
when they all arrived, everyone refused to speak to each other.  
  
Surprisingly enough, Minako had been the first to enter   
followed by Makoto and Shingo. When the two women had seen each   
other, they both clammed up, which was understandable seeing as   
what they said to each other. Not that it got any better when Ami   
arrived. Truth was, the uncomfortable air in the room increased   
ten-fold. She had been the first to lose her temper at the battle   
that had started the major sift in their friendship. So they sat   
and waited until their guest of honor arrived.  
*********************************************************************  
  
Upon reaching the porch of the temple, Mamoru fumbled for   
Usagi's hands. "For luck," he replied at her questioning look.   
She looked over her right shoulder to insure that Motoki was   
still there, and he smiled at her, trying to give her comfort   
any which way he could.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Usagi slid the door to the shrine   
open, and stepped over the threshold with her husband and their   
best friend.  
  
The three stopped right inside the uncomfortably silent   
room, with Mamoru and Usagi glancing around at the people (and   
cats) situated at different corners. "Uh, Hi every one... " This   
still generated no response from anyone, and Usagi was beginning   
to worry. Suddenly a cry broke the silence, and Usagi found herself   
wrapped in Shingo's arms and he was sobbing openly onto her shoulder.   
She did the first thing that came into her mind, which was to try to   
soothe him, by running her hand over his head, the same way her   
mother...no, she would not think of that woman. "Shh, it's ok   
Shingo-kun, I won't leave you anymore. I'm so sorry." She whimpered   
helplessly onto his head.  
  
Holding back tears, she looked around the room at the other   
girls, not knowing what to say. Rei was the first to speak up.  
  
"Why Usagi?"   
  
"Luna didn't tell you?" Usagi looked at Luna in surprise.   
"You didn't tell them anything?" at the cat's shake of the head,   
she asked why.  
  
"Usagi, I don't know why you left. I had my suspicions, but   
you never told me what was going on." For the first time in four   
years, it dawned on her, the cat did not know, the reason being   
that it was never stopped. Every time it happened, no one, except   
for Shingo, was there, and she swore him into secrecy the first   
time that he found her nursing her wounds.  
  
"I guess I should start from the beginning..."  
  
"Hold up, why are they here?" Makoto asked pointedly, gaze   
shifting between Mamoru and Motoki.  
  
"That's part of the story, Mako-chan," Usagi replied,   
emphasizing the title, although everyone else, other than   
Minako, had tried to push her away. "Anyhow, it all started   
about a week after we found you, after we defeated Neflyte..."  
****************************************************************  
  
"Stupid Haruna-sensei. Giving me another 45 on my test."   
She muttered as she slowly shuffled towards the arcade. "At   
least I have one day left of freedom." She continued to the   
counter at the Crown Arcade and plopped down into her seat.   
Strangely disappointed that her nemesis wasn't present, she   
turned to Motoki who was smiling at her. Upon seeing her   
crestfallen face, he realized something was wrong.  
  
"What happened Usa-chan?"   
  
She pouted. "I won't be seeing you in a while Motoki-  
onii-san...I got another bad grade on my test. Mama said   
that the next failed test means that I am grounded for 3   
weeks."  
  
"Usa-chan, you were such a good student until you...  
ah...started doing what you do. Other than your grades,   
have you been getting by alright?" Motoki knew about her   
nightly rendezvous with the Youma in the park. He had known   
for a while, discovering it after being at an attack where   
he saw Sailormoon get cut along her midriff. When he saw   
Usagi the next day, she was raising her arms in an attempt   
to grab her paper back from Mamoru's hands, and due to the   
tailoring of the school uniforms, he saw that Usagi had a   
nasty scab in the same place where Sailormoon had been   
injured. When she walked in, he told Unazuki to watch the   
counter and grabbed the surprised blonde's hand before   
dragging her to the staff lounge. From that moment on, he   
appointed himself to be her makeshift doctor since she refused   
to go to the hospital for the wounds she received in the attacks.  
  
"No, everything else is ok. Well it is until my social   
life goes down the drain when Mama finds out about this," she   
added waving the paper in his face. "How I am going to get out   
to do our, ah, club meetings, I have no clue. Maybe she won't   
continuously come up to my room..." She sighed.  
  
Motoki felt bad for the blonde nymph seated in front of him.   
"Usa-chan, is there anything I can get you since you won't be here   
for a while...It's on the house," he added with a grin.  
  
"Thanks Onii-chan, but I'm not really hungry right now. Maybe   
I can take a rain check." At his sad smile she added, "I better get   
home now. Maybe she will take pity on my poor soul," she added with   
a chagrinned look.  
  
Usagi walked the rest of the way home with her head down kicking   
a poor defenseless stone the entire way. Upon reaching her house, she   
stopped suddenly on her porch. She could sense that something was   
wrong, but she could not place it.  
  
Stepping inside of her house, she closed the door and walked   
into the kitchen where her mother was waiting for her. She froze at   
the look on the blue haired woman's face.  
  
"Haruna-sensei called," she began. "What did I tell you about   
your grades?"   
*********************************************************************  
  
"Before I knew it, my mother had jumped on top of me and was   
beating me senseless." At the look of horror on the 4 other girls'   
and the 2 cats' faces, Usagi said, "She made sure not to hit my from   
my neck up, or anywhere below the knees because she did not want to   
get caught by anyone. But one day she just got sloppy," she paused   
in her story telling, leaving room for the surprised women to ask   
questions. They never did.  
  
"I had been quite late in leaving the house that morning, we   
had a particularly nasty Youma the night before, and I had finally   
been getting to sleep after getting in when my alarm rang. Nothing   
new, I got to school late, and Haruna-sensei gave me detention, and   
made me hold two buckets of water out in the hallway for half an   
hour. Not an easy task when your arms already feel that they have   
been ripped out of the sockets because you were dragged around."  
  
Usagi took a deep breath before she continued. Furiously blinking   
back tears, she felt Mamoru squeeze her hand in his own attempt to help   
her. Shingo was rubbing her back, and she could tell that he wanted   
to pull her into a hug once again. Wiping her face with her free   
hand, she resumed. "Well, I got home and she was particularly upset.   
One of the blows landed on my calf right before she threw me out   
again. I couldn't tell any of you what was going on..."  
  
"Why Usagi-chan? Why the hell couldn't you have told us?"   
Makoto asked her, tears openly running down her face.  
  
Usagi looked at Makoto for a long time before carefully   
responding, "I didn't trust you."  
  
"What do you mean, you didn't trust us? After having had   
pulled your ass out of danger countless numbers of times, you   
still didn't trust us?"  
  
"Mako-chan, that's just it. I knew that you would want to   
protect me, but I was afraid of what you would do to my mother   
if you found out. She is my mother you know, even if she doesn't   
act like it." Seeing that there were no further interruptions,   
she continued. "Anyhow, after she threw me out, I headed out,   
any where, cause by that point, I didn't really give a damn   
where I ended-up." Usagi gathered her breath to continue the   
story when a deeper voice continued from where she stopped.  
  
"Luckily, she ended up at the arcade. Usa-imo-chan had   
just been by earlier that day, so I was pretty surprised when   
she showed up again. Not as surprised as when I saw her limping,   
and then again when I saw the giant black bruise on her leg. I   
pulled her to the back to ask if there had been another attack   
that she had fought at that I didn't know..."  
  
"You told him?" Ami asked disbelieving.  
  
Shaking her head, "no, he found out." At the senshis'   
questioning looks, Usagi explained how Motoki had discovered   
before allowing him to continue.  
  
"Anyhow, she spilled, no longer being able to hold it   
in. If it weren't for how bad the bruises were, for how much   
Usa-imo-chan needed a shoulder to cry on, there wouldn't have   
been much of Ikuko left for you guys even if you had found   
out about it all."  
  
"I convinced him not to tell anyone, telling him that   
it would be worse if Shingo-kun and I were sent away to   
orphanages and I was pulled away from the duties." She felt   
Mamoru's hand tighten at the mention of the orphanage, and   
she unconsciously soothed him by slowly running her thumb   
over the web of his hand.  
  
"So it kept going." Minako whispered, tears brimming   
in her eyes.  
  
Usagi looked her dead on. "No Mina-chan, it gets worse.   
Much, MUCH worse...and one day, it just reached the final   
straw."  
*********************************************************************  
Usagi had finally been able to find a position where   
her mattress springs did not dig too deeply into her bruises   
when her stupid cat had to scratch her.  
  
"Damn it Luna, what now?"  
  
If the language surprised the cat, it didn't show, but  
how much could it show? She was covered in fur. "There's an   
attack. You have to transform and get down the park! I'll meet   
you there Usagi-chan." With that, the cat jumped out the window.   
  
Usagi, muttering uncomplimentary thoughts about the   
Generals and how unoriginal they were with their fight   
scenarios, dragged herself out the window and transformed behind   
the tree facing her room. With renewed energy that she knew would   
only last for a few minutes until the fight actually began, she ran,   
actually flew down the street and across the rooftops, reaching the   
park in moments.  
  
The Youma was hideous, just as they usually were, but this one   
had an extra ugly gene compared to the rest she thought. Seeing that   
the girls were starting to tire, she jumped out and spewed another  
stupid poem of hers. She sardonically grinned at her ability to   
blurt out complete and utter manure whenever she needed to.   
Unfortunately, that talent of hers could not help her with school.  
  
She was barely finished with the stupid saying, of which   
she couldn't even remember anymore since she knew it was crap,   
when the stupid Youma turned to her and launched an attack. For   
once not being frozen to her spot, which she rooted to the fact   
that she was too incredibly exhausted for whatever hypnotic trance   
that the Youma always had her in, she dodged. Taking in the surprised   
look of the monstrosity, she took the moment to launch   
her attack.  
  
God's it was so painful, the attack. How could it not be?   
You are one person standing there throwing out how many volts   
or rays or whatever the pure energy attack is measured in, through   
a little metal rod. All of the energy is being focused on being   
pushed through your hands. The other girls never knew how raw   
and burned her hands were after the attacks, and she planned to   
keep it that way.  
  
Surprisingly enough, the Youma was instantly dusted.  
  
"Wow, they must be getting either incredibly lazy, or just   
incredibly desperate to be sending out the ones they have been   
lately." Makoto stifled a yawn. "I don't know about you guys,   
but I'm going back to sleep. See ya tomorrow!" And with that   
she flitted away in the direction of her apartment. The other   
girls, finally feeling the effect from the lack of sleep all said   
their own good byes and left for their homes. Usagi turned to Luna   
who had come out of the bush she hid in during the battle.  
  
"Usagi-chan, do you think you can make it home? I want to head   
over and consult with Artemis about what he thinks is the cause for   
these multitude of attacks."  
  
"Sure Luna, I'm positive that you two will be doing a lot of   
consulting." She dodged the attack that the cat swung at her and   
giggled as she ran home.  
  
Climbing the tree out her window, she realized with horror   
that it was closed and locked. "Oh my God, did she find out?"   
Sliding back down, she headed to the back door that was never   
locked. She slipped in, quietly latching the door behind her,   
and paled at what she saw before her.  
  
*****************************************************************  
  
Her mother stood with a marble rolling pin in one hand   
and a brick in the other. Feet spaced apart, she snarled at   
her daughter. "What did I say about going out young lady?"   
And with that, she hurled herself and her weapons at her   
daughter.  
  
The young girl could feel ribs cracking when the pin   
struck the first blow. Keeling over in an attempt to protect   
herself, she realized that it wasn't working. She fought back   
as hard as she could in her detrasformed form, but it wasn't   
enough. Her mother seemed to be possessed. But she knew the   
truth. A daughter who only brought disgrace to her family had   
to be dealt with in this way.  
  
It seemed like an eternity passed while she lay there being   
beaten. But she could not tell. But extreme relief passed over   
her when her mother spit on her and left her lying on the floor.   
The relief lasted only a moment though. The woman returned, and   
grabbing the battered girl's feet, she dragged her out the front   
door and kicked her down the porch.  
  
"Leave," she said bitterly. "You are not my daughter and   
therefore not welcomed in my home. Leave and never come back."   
With that, she turned on her heel and slammed the door behind   
her.  
  
Usagi did not know how long she lay on the grass before   
she gathered the strength to pull herself into a somewhat   
standing position. Vaguely knowing that she needed medical   
attention, she started towards Motoki's house.  
  
Halfway there, she fell to the ground, unable to keep   
what was left of her dinner down. She knew that she wouldn't   
be able to get to Motoki's in time. But she prayed that she   
did not die before she had a chance to say goodbye. In front   
of the park Usagi laid, unconscious.  
************************************************************************  
"And that's where Mamo-chan found me," she whispered.   
The strain in her voice was evident, and did not pass lightly   
over Mamoru's listening ears. He decided that the recounting   
would end now, before Usagi ended up rebuilding the walls that   
had took him years to pull down.  
  
He pulled her fully into his arms and kissed her temple,   
murmuring to her that the story would have to be continued the   
next evening. At her nod, he turned to the four other girls in   
the room. Mamoru could see that they wanted to run up and wrap   
Usagi in their arms in their tear-tracked faces. But they were   
afraid. With a quick realization on why they were scared, he   
turned to Motoki.  
  
"Get her down to the car. We'll finish this tomorrow. I   
need to talk to the girls," At Shingo's pleading gaze, he nodded,   
letting the boy know he could stay with them that evening. After   
the three left the room, Mamoru turned to the girls.  
  
"I know that we never really got a chance to get to know   
each other before, but I am the one who knows Usako the most   
now, and I need to let you all know. She does NOT blame you.   
She never did, but she was too scared to let you know. Don't   
blame yourselves either. I couldn't even tell what was going   
on back then until I found her, and heaven knows that I should   
have seen it the way that I was always watching her"  
  
"Why didn't she tell us why Mamoru-san...Why?" the usually   
even headed Ami sobbed, but then again, Ami had not been very   
even headed in a few years.  
  
"That is for her to tell, not I. There is more to this story."   
He laughed bitterly, "Gods there is more to this story." He shoved   
his left hand through his hair frustratingly to pull it out of his   
face. "We will be back tomorrow, same time to finish this, or you   
can come to our place." That was when the girls finally noticed the   
ring on Mamoru's finger.  
  
*************************  
AN: Aren't I evil? I'm sorry about the somewhat graphic scenes   
between Usagi and her mother, but it is not what it seems, so get   
ready for a long ride. I know I said that this chapter was going   
to be a lot longer, but I didn't want to leave you all out in the   
cold while I piled on more. The next part should be out in a few   
days, so, I'll see you then!  
  
If you are or know someone who is currently suffering abuse, whether   
verbal, physical or sexual, please seek help. No one has the right   
to hurt you no matter who you are. 


	3. Chapter 2

Title: Coming Home~Chapter 1  
  
Author: SailorSpectra@msn.com  
  
Rating: PG-13 for language and disturbing violence.  
  
Summary: Usagi disappeared years ago, and the Senshi were never able to find her. What happens when she comes home, married and completely different?  
  
Author's Notes:Uh, what can I say to you all? SORRY for the wait, and I'll TRY to get the next chapter out soon :)  
  
********************************************************************************  
  
Mamoru looked in the rearview mirror towards his wife who was quietly speaking to her brother. He was glad that he was able to deflect the other girls' curiosity about his and Usako's marriage without having to tell them everything. It was his love's story to tell, not his.  
  
Shingo had, of course, been surprised when he found out that his sister had married, and to her teenage nemesis non-the-less, but he was glad that she had found someone to keep her safe and happy. He was quickly explaining to her what happened after she had left, leaving out the unimportant details, and only focusing on the major points. When the vehicle came to a stop, he did as well, blinking as he looked at his sister's new place of residence. He noticed that she smiled at the look on his face before beginning.  
  
"Yeah, this was Mamo-chan's place before we ended up leaving. He the chairman of Chiba Corp, but was just a bachelor when he got the apartment. Come on," she said pulling him out of the car behind herself. "I'll fix up the second bedroom for you. He finally ordered a bed for it while we were in America, seeing that we were going to have you move in with us when we came back." A worried look suddenly crossed her face and she added, "That is, if you want to, of course. I know we left you, but I didn't think Mama would hurt you while we were gone."  
  
Shingo smiled softly and patted his petite sister's head. "Of course I'll stay with you two. I don't blame you for leaving me Usa-chan. You were right, she didn't hurt me, even though she was livid when she found out you were gone..." At his reassuring words, she forced a smile and pulled him after herself and Mamoru towards the elevator.  
  
When the trio reached their floor, Mamoru opened the door for the two before leading Shingo to his new room. His step faltered when Shingo turned to him smiling and said, "Thanks, bro." Mamoru had hoped that the young man would be able to accept him as family when they had finally returned, but doubted the chance that it would occur. He had taken his sister away from him.  
  
Grinning, Mamoru replied, "It's late, but if you're hungry, go ahead and help yourself to some food in the kitchen. Usako and I are just going to go to bed, since it's been such a long day, but if you need anything, our room is just across the living room. Good night."  
  
"Night." Shingo looked around his new room, a smile across his face. When the fatigue of the day finally hit him, he started across the room to his in-suite bathroom to get ready for bed, but a knock at his door stopped him. Usagi stepped in with some clothing in hand.  
  
"Here's some of Mamo-chan's sweats, I thought you may want something to change into after you take a shower." She smiled softly, handing them to him. She stared at him for a while after he took the offered items, before saying brokenly, "God, I'm so sorry Ototo." When he noticed the glimmer in her eyes, he pulled her to him and hugged her tightly.  
  
"Usagi-chan, I'm ok. Nothing happened to me while you were gone. I can take care of myself. And Mako-chan was there to help." She squeezed him back just as tightly, but when she pulled away, he was surprised to see that her eyes were already dry.  
  
"Good-night," she said, before walking out the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
*********************************************************************************  
"How is he?" Mamoru asked from the bed when Usagi walked into their room. She ruffled his hair on her way to their closet.  
  
"I think he'll be fine. It may just take a little time for US to get used to him living here."  
  
Mamoru settled down into the pillows when Usagi went to shower. He wondered what he could do to make the transition better for the three of them, maybe spend some "brotherly outings" with Shingo. He would call a friend at the ballpark to see if he could land them some tickets...  
  
When Usagi finally came out of the bathroom and slid into the sheets, snuggling into Mamoru's warm body, he spoke before she could fall asleep. "Usako, the girls know we are married."  
  
Confusion crossed her eyes before she realized that she had not told them of the marriage. "It doesn't bother me, but how did they find out? I never got around to telling them what happened after we left."  
  
"They, uh, saw my ring after you left." She smiled, knowing that it had to have happened when he ran his fingers through his hair; a nervous habit that he seemed to be doing more of lately.  
  
She snuggled closer to her adorable husband and mumbled before she fell asleep. "Don't worry about it Mamo-chan. I was gonna tell them about it tomorrow."  
  
Mamoru studied the sleeping nymph's face before gently kissing her forehead and slipping into a deep slumber himself.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Rei stared at the red flame before her, contemplating what she saw would be coming. She knew that they had never defeated the Negaverse even though the Youma stopped showing up soon after the team had broken up. She had been wondering why the fire kept showing her visions of new beginnings and of things falling into place, but now she new. Falling to her knees before the fire, she began to pray. Pray that they would survive this battle starting anew.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Rolling her shoulders in an attempt to loosen the tension in them, Usagi hoped that Minako would not try to confront her before or after class. She had enough stress as it was. Reflecting on Mamoru's behavior before he left that morning, Usagi smiled as she entered the lecture hall.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Minako could tell that Usagi, no Chiba-sensei, did not want to speak with her yet. The way she tensed up upon Minako's arrival was a dead give away. Minako decided that it would just be better to ask her the question after class.  
  
"Good morning everyone. Today I'll be lecturing on the Mayan culture. I hope you read chapter 2 because I will be asking questions. Oh yes, don't forget, your first paper is due on Monday."  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
"Aino-san!" Nakayomi Ryoji, Minako's cute classmate called, "Would you like to eat lunch with me?"  
  
Turning to face him, she replied "Sure Nakayomi-san. Just give me a second to ask Chiba-sensei a question. I'll meet you outside of class." She flashed him her winning smile before flipping her hair over her shoulder and walking up to the front of the hall.  
  
Slightly apprehensive, she started down the isle, "Chiba-sensei." In an attempt to keep any accusations of favoritism down, Minako kept her voice formal and her eyes slightly downcast. "Is there a certain topic that you would like to see?"  
  
Usagi had tensed up when she heard Minako's voice behind her back. She had finally relaxed when she thought she was free from any confrontations this morning. What a relief when she discovered that it was just a scholastic question. "No, Aino-san. As long as your paper covers one of the eight topics listed in the syllabus and is taken out of chapters `1, 2, or 3, you'll be fine." Usagi answered.  
  
Minako nodded, somewhat disappointed that Usagi hadn't even bothered to look at her when she nodded. "Thank you," she said as she was turning to leave. A slim hand stopped her by grabbing her arm. She heard Usagi quietly say "Tonight at eight," handing her a slip of paper before she was released. Minako continued on her way out... happy that she had some kind of contact with her leader.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Tossing her keys on the counter before setting down the grocery bags she had carried in, Usagi called out to her husband and brother, letting them know she was home.  
  
Mamoru walked into the kitchen, planting a kiss on her nose before helping Usagi put the food she bought away.  
  
"Did Shingo get home yet?"  
  
"Yeah, he's in his room playing a video game. He ran by Makoto's place to pick up his stuff after school. He said he wasn't quite sure how she was going to react when he told her, but apparently, she took it better than he had imagined." Usagi sighed as once again, she realized how she displaced everyone with her return. "Did you set up a time with the girls yet?"  
  
"Uh hum, I let Mina-chan know, she'll tell the others, at least I'm pretty sure she will. They had some kind of split after I left, but Shingo-kun wasn't sure exactly what happened. He said he moved in with Mako-chan after Mom disappeared, and then when the group broke up, no one wanted to talk about it. And Mako-chan refused to talk about it. Oh yeah, they'll be here at eight. That leaves me," her eyes widened as she glanced at her watch, "TWO HOURS?!?!? I only have two hours?" At that, Usagi stepped into hyper-drive with Mamoru by her side.  
  
**********************************************************************************  
  
Dropping on the couch with only fifteen minutes to spare, Usagi gave herself (and husband, of course) a pat on the back. The first knock came not ten seconds later and the blonde dragged herself off the plush leather to the door, figuring that Rei would be the first one there. She was right.  
  
The miko didn't know exactly how she should act when she found herself at the front of the apartment building twenty minutes early. Pacing up and down the block, the raven-haired woman finally worked up the courage to enter when the doorman asked if she needed any help. She smiled as she asked him to direct her to the Chiba apartment.  
  
So now, here she was, fifteen minutes early, even though she knew that there was no way Usagi was ready yet. But maybe she could offer some help. She knocked.  
  
She felt like she could cry again when she saw her best friend open the door to her with a soft smile. "Konban wa, Rei-chan. Come in, come in." She led the miko to the living room and had her sit with Shingo, who finally had come out of hiding.  
  
Looking around, she commented, "Usagi-chan, you have a beautiful home."  
  
"Thanks Rei-chan, I wish I could take credit though... This was almost all Mamo-chan's from before we left. He should be out soon; he's taking a shower. It seems as if we switched, he used to be the early one, but is now notorious for being late all the time." She grinned, "Let me bring in some food." She left her brother and the raven-haired priestess to talk as she brought out a snack tray.  
  
Before she could say a word, there was another knock at the door. "Excuse me," she said walking towards the foyer.  
  
There she found Makoto biting her fingernails, waiting nervously. Before she could greet her, she found herself wrapped up in the Amazon's arms having the breath squeezed out of her. "I'm glad to see you too Mako-chan." Usagi said, gently patting her back.  
  
A grim look covered Makoto's face as she replied. "Usagi-chan, I'm so sorry about everything. I wish...gods...I wish I had known." Usagi shushed the teary eyed girl.  
  
"Mako, it's not your fault, so I don't want you to blame yourself. I hid it from you all 'cause I knew you didn't need anything else to worry about. But it's all done with now, and I hope you can forgive me for leaving you."  
  
"Usa-chan, you did what you had to do! There is no need to apologize."  
  
Usagi nodded, and started to lead Makoto to the room, before pausing momentarily. "Mako..."  
  
"Yeah Usa?"  
  
"Thank you for taking care of Shingo after I left. I worried so much about him after I left, but when Motoki told me that you had him, I knew he had to be alright."  
  
"It was the least that I could do." The two girls smiled at each other, before Usagi lead her into the living room. Seeing how the two girls were still warily looking at each other, she lead Makoto to the seat beside Shingo, hoping that her younger brother could act like a buffer between the two.  
  
This time when she left the group she was able to actually make it to the kitchen and pick up the sweets and tea that she had been able to prepare. After a few moments to collect her wits (she knew that she would need them this evening) she juggled the platters and kettle on her way to the living room. A smile grazed her face when she realized that the two girls were grudgingly participating in a conversation Shingo dragged them into. Setting down her load, she glanced at the clock surprised that 20 minutes had passed so quickly. Not surprised that Minako was not punctual, she was beginning to wonder where Ami was, when she heard a tapping on the door. She opened it, surprised that it wasn't Ami, but Minako. Not disappointed, she felt the Senshi of love throw her arms around her before conspiratorially whispering in her ear, "So, what's married life like?" A second smile for tonight crossed the blonde's face.  
  
"Wouldn't you like to know?" she asked, smirking. Leading her to the living room, Usagi directed Minako to a chair saying that she was going to get Mamoru.  
  
"Uh, Usagi-chan, is Motoki-san going to be joining us tonight?" asked Makoto.  
  
"Not tonight. He already knows what I'll be telling you tonight and he and Rika-chan are having dinner with her parents. Do you know where Ami is?"   
  
At the dark look that crossed their faces, she knew she had said something wrong. Forgoing her trip to get her husband, Usagi sank down into an armchair and asked, "What happened to you all? I can tell it was more than me just leaving..." or at least she hoped that it was. The knowledge that their friendships had ended because of her would just be another brick on her teetering tower of guilt.  
  
Rei spoke up first. "I guess it would be fair to tell you what happened after you left.  
  
"After you disappeared, your mom, for better lack of the word, couldn't be found either. It's like she had just disappeared into thin air. Shingo came to the temple first to tell me that you and she had disappeared. We knew we would have to call the cops cause there was no way that a whole family could go missing and us be able to cover it up. The cops came and searched the house and found your blood, one of the reasons that we thought you were dead," at this, Usagi's eyes slowly shut, slowly beginning to understand the ramifications of her departure.  
  
"Before they came though, we went through the house and took out any evidence of Shingo's existence. We knew that you wouldn't want him to end up in an orphanage, and since none of us knew how we would hide him from our parents, we figured the next best thing, he ended up living with Makoto-sa...Mako-chan," the miko threw the said girl a wry smile. "Anyhow, Luna and Artemis helped us create documents that said Mako-chan was his guardian, and he was her brother...not to hard to pass off 'cause of their similar colorings. The police never found anybodies though, and left it as an open case. Ami, was able to hack into the police record database and erase any case that there was, and I, well, Sailor Mars had a little trip into the hard copy file room in the police station. Let's say that any evidence of the Tsukino family was easily wiped from any case file."  
  
Usagi looked at Rei before thanking her. Before she got up to get her husband, she asked, "Do you think Ami will be showing up?"  
  
"Well, there is more to the story," Rei said sighing.  
  
Makoto picked it up from there. "After we all settled in, and finished grieving for you, we decided that we had to keep on with any kind of Senshi business. For the first few months, we still had the meetings, at least twice a week, despite the fact that there were no attacks, at all. It started to wear us down to the point that near the end of the second year, we were so stressed out as to whether or not we would be attacked or something would happen that we started to nit-pick at each other. It started out as nothing much...complaining about one another's clothing or choices of food...and then it progressed. Insulting one another's habits or actions under our breaths, until one day, Ami just snapped...  
  
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Makoto walked into the temple, catching her breath as she tried to recover from the run up the stairs. Slightly smiling to Rei, she asked if she could be of any help. Rei directed her to the kitchen and the two started carrying the food into the room.  
  
"Hey guys!" Minako squealed as she entered the room. Makoto was really beginning to be annoyed by her fake cheerfulness, and was about to say so when the door to the room was flung open, to the surprise of everyone.  
  
"Ami, have some respect it's a temple!" Makoto exclaimed, before Ami glared at her. "Damn, she must be having one hell of a day," she thought.  
  
The meeting began as it always did... dull to the point of tears until Minako said something else to her usual effect.  
  
"Idiot..." Ami muttered under her breath. Makoto blinked, surprised at the venom in the genius's voice.  
  
"Geez, Ami-chan, it's only Mina-chan being herself," Makoto defended the blonde, not knowing why, when she had been thinking the same thing.  
  
"So what? She's exactly the same as she always was. And who are you to say anything."  
  
"What the hell are you trying to say?" At this, Minako and Rei looked away from their conversation, surprised at the other two.  
  
"You know exactly what I'm saying." At her blank look, Ami continued, "I'm tired of this. All of this shit! Nothing is happening. Nothing has happened since Usagi disappeared."  
  
Makoto tried to calm down the girl reaching out to her, only to pull her hand back to nurse it after Ami slapped it away from her with surprising force.  
  
"What the hell was that for?" Makoto demanded accusingly.  
  
"Don't touch me, you freak." Taken aback, Makoto just stared at the girl before her. "Don't you all realize what has happened? God, I would have thought even you all with what little intellect you did have would have seen it. Usagi was the only thing that held us together. I know that none of you like me... you only call me when you want something...the only time you ever call me anymore is when you need help with your homework, or some other damn thing that you can't do yourself. And you know what, I'm sick of it!"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? We are all..."  
  
"Damn it, Makoto. Get it through that thick Amazon skull of yours. Nobody likes you. Nobody likes any of us. Hell, none of us actually like ourselves. The only person that ever did was Usagi and now she's gone. She's not coming back either. And you know what? I'm done with this crap. Don't call me unless there is a Youma attack." With that, the blue haired girl stormed out of the temple leaving five shocked girls in her wake.  
  
Minako was the first to regain her footing, "Uh, you think she's having a bad day?" she asked, trying to break the ice. Apparently, she did it too easily.  
  
"You know, she's right, like always. I'm sick of this too. We're not really friends."  
  
"Yes we are," replied Minako vehemently.  
  
"No, we aren't." Makoto replied with just as much force. "Look, we never talk if it isn't about Senshi business and none of us have anything in common. Truth be told, I doubt any of us would have been able to stand each other if Usagi-chan hadn't been in our lives. And she's not anymore, so we can all quit with the charade. Look, I have to agree with Ami, bitchy as she was tonight. If we don't stop doing this to ourselves, we'll end up exploding just like she did. Don't call me either, unless you need Shingo for something. Otherwise, it was nice knowing you all." With that, Makoto quietly exited the room.  
  
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"I headed home after that. I decided that I was going to transform one last time to close off that part of my life, but Shingo walked in on it half way through the transformation." Looking out of the corner of her eye, she added, "And he got an eyeful." The teenager flushed at this, before excusing himself, mumbling something or another about forgetting to turn off his Play-station. "I told him, it's not like I cared anymore because I wouldn't be involved."  
  
Usagi looked at the other two questioningly.  
  
"Rei-chan and I never really had an argument, but we couldn't figure out how to pull the group back together. We ended up just drifting apart because we no longer had anything to hold us together."  
  
Usagi noticed that sometime during the story, Mamoru had emerged from the bathroom and seated himself on the arm of the chair she was seated in. Scooting over so he could sit, she asked, "Did any of you ever find out what set Ami off that night?"  
  
"No," said Rei, sadly shaking her head. "We tried to approach Ami, but every time we did, she would ignore us, or simply just walk away. After a while, we just gave up. She wanted nothing to do with us, so we figured that it was best to just let her be."  
  
Dropping her head to her hands, Usagi dry-washed her face before turning to Mamoru. "What did I do?" she whispered to him.  
  
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Usagi's head shot up. "If it's her, she's late. But at least she came." Leaving Mamoru on the couch, Usagi went to answer the door, to find a disheveled young woman standing outside the door.  
  
Ushering Ami inside, Usagi asked her what was wrong. She just shook her head, telling Usagi that she was late because of an exam.  
  
"I'm sorry, didn't know that you had class tonight." Usagi blushed, "I guess that I should have asked if the time was ok with everyone." Leading the final part of her group of friends to the room, she saw the dismay on Ami's face when she saw the only space left was between Makoto and Minako. The girl however stoned her face and took the spot.  
  
"Anyhow, we were just about to start." Usagi returned to her own seat and looked at the group before her.  
  
"I told you all yesterday why I left, and I know you're still wondering about these," she said, motioning her and Mamoru's rings. "That night my mother threw me out, I made it to a path in the park before I collapsed. I was trying to get to your house, Rei-chan. Luckily Mamo-chan," at this she gently squeezed his knee, "was going for his evening jog when he came across me." Turning to look at him, she let him know that he could continue the story.  
  
"As Rei-san knows, I jogged every evening to release stress and what not every evening before we left. It's easier at night with no distractions to bother me. Anyhow, I usually didn't see anyone bye the time I went out, but it was different that night..."  
  
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Mamoru exhaled as he released the hamstring stretch before starting on the path at a slow jog. He allowed his mind to reach out in its environment, washing over all surfaces in its vicinity. During the day, he had to lock it all in. If he did not, he would be continuously be bombarded by the thoughts and feelings of the people around. He figured that this ability (or disability at times) was somehow tied to his Tuxedo Kamen persona, and therefore did not pursue its reasons any further. His jog stared out as any other, just him, the earth, plants and a small animals being noticed, when his psyche came across something new. As he drew further into the park, he was able to sense that it was a person, not quite a child. He figured that the person had fallen asleep and kept in the direction so he could wake the poor kid up and send them on their way home. Something seemed wrong about the situation and Mamoru's uneasy feelings grew as he approached, quickening his jog. When he saw the prone, shivering form curled on the ground, he broke into a full run. The long blond hair was matted with dirt and as he knelt down beside the body, he touched his hand to the girls shoulder. He was surprised when a hand shot out and tightly grabbed his wrist, and shocked when he realized whom the hand belonged to.  
  
The Usagi he knew did not have reflexes like that getting over his surprise at her speed. He gently rolled her over, murmuring, " Odango, its ok, it's just me, Mamoru-ba..." All sounds coming from his mouth just stopped when she saw the girls face.  
  
"My God... I have to get you to the hospital."  
  
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